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AMD Ryzen 9 3900X vs Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i9 10850K: Comparison
What is the difference between AMD Ryzen 9 3900X and Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i9 10850K?
Start with l3 cache, because it is the widest measured gap between them: AMD Ryzen 9 3900X 64 MB against Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i9 10850K 20 MB, 69% in favour of AMD Ryzen 9 3900X. Measured rather than claimed: in Blender Cycles (CPU) the AMD Ryzen 9 3900X returns 268 against 223 over 123 runs, a 17% lead. AMD Ryzen 9 3900X also leads on l2 cache, 6 MB on the AMD Ryzen 9 3900X versus 2.5 MB on the Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i9 10850K.
Who each one is for
Take the AMD Ryzen 9 3900X for content creators and prosumers wanting genuine 12-core multi-threaded throughput at a mainstream desktop price. Avoid it for buyers who need integrated graphics, this chip requires a discrete GPU. Take the Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i9 10850K for desktop gaming and content creation builds wanting near-flagship 10-core performance at a typically lower price than the i9-10900K. It is the wrong buy for buyers specifically chasing the absolute highest available clock speed, the flagship i9-10900K, covered elsewhere on this site, edges ahead there.
AMD Ryzen 9 3900X vs Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i9 10850K price
At the last price check the Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i9 10850K was $453 and the AMD Ryzen 9 3900X $499, a 10% premium.
What AMD Ryzen 9 3900X and Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i9 10850K have in common
Where they agree, they agree completely, efficiency cores, form factor, market segment, smt enabled and unlocked multiplier included, so the decision does not turn on any of those. They match on 3 further specifications as well.
Frequently asked questions
Do the AMD Ryzen 9 3900X and Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i9 10850K differ on total cores?
Yes. Total Cores reads 12 on the AMD Ryzen 9 3900X versus 10 on the Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i9 10850K.
Is the Memory Channels the same on the AMD Ryzen 9 3900X and Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i9 10850K?
It is. Both are listed at 2, so it is not a reason to pick one over the other.
Specs and benchmarks
Brand
- AMD Ryzen 9 3900X
- AMD
- Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i9 10850K
- Intel
Product Line
- AMD Ryzen 9 3900X
- Ryzen 9
- Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i9 10850K
- Core i9
Form Factor
- AMD Ryzen 9 3900X
- Desktop
- Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i9 10850K
- Desktop
Model Number
- AMD Ryzen 9 3900X
- 3900X
- Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i9 10850K
- 10850K
Codename
- AMD Ryzen 9 3900X
- Matisse
- Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i9 10850K
- Comet Lake
Release Year
- AMD Ryzen 9 3900X
- 2019
- Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i9 10850K
- 2020
TDP
- AMD Ryzen 9 3900X
- 105 W
- Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i9 10850K
- 125 W
iGPU
- AMD Ryzen 9 3900X
- None
- Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i9 10850K
- Intel UHD Graphics 630
Market Segment
- AMD Ryzen 9 3900X
- Desktop
- Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i9 10850K
- Desktop
Microarchitecture
- AMD Ryzen 9 3900X
- Zen 2, Ryzen 3000 Series "Matisse"
- Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i9 10850K
- Comet Lake, 10th Gen Intel Core
Socket
- AMD Ryzen 9 3900X
- AM4
- Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i9 10850K
- FCLGA1200
Socket Status
- AMD Ryzen 9 3900X
- End of Life
- Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i9 10850K
- Mature
Process Node
- AMD Ryzen 9 3900X
- 7 nm
- Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i9 10850K
- 14 nm
Total Cores
- AMD Ryzen 9 3900X
- 12Best
- Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i9 10850K
- 10
Performance Cores
- AMD Ryzen 9 3900X
- 12Best
- Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i9 10850K
- 10
Efficiency Cores
- AMD Ryzen 9 3900X
- 0
- Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i9 10850K
- 0
Total Threads
- AMD Ryzen 9 3900X
- 24Best
- Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i9 10850K
- 20
SMT Enabled
- AMD Ryzen 9 3900X
- Yes
- Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i9 10850K
- Yes
P-Core Base Clock
- AMD Ryzen 9 3900X
- 3.8 GHz
- Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i9 10850K
- 3.6 GHz
P-Core Boost Clock
- AMD Ryzen 9 3900X
- 4.6 GHz
- Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i9 10850K
- 5.2 GHz
Unlocked Multiplier
- AMD Ryzen 9 3900X
- Yes
- Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i9 10850K
- Yes
L2 Cache
- AMD Ryzen 9 3900X
- 6 MBBest
- Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i9 10850K
- 2.5 MB-58%
L3 Cache
- AMD Ryzen 9 3900X
- 64 MBBest
- Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i9 10850K
- 20 MB-69%
Base Power
- AMD Ryzen 9 3900X
- 105 W
- Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i9 10850K
- 125 W
Max Turbo Power
- AMD Ryzen 9 3900X
- 142 W
- Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i9 10850K
- 250W
Memory Type
- AMD Ryzen 9 3900X
- DDR4
- Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i9 10850K
- DDR4-2933
Max Memory Speed
- AMD Ryzen 9 3900X
- 3200 MT/sBest
- Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i9 10850K
- 4 MT/s
Memory Channels
- AMD Ryzen 9 3900X
- 2
- Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i9 10850K
- 2
ECC Support
- AMD Ryzen 9 3900X
- No
- Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i9 10850K
- No
Integrated Graphics
- AMD Ryzen 9 3900X
- No
- Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i9 10850K
- Yes
PCIe Generation
- AMD Ryzen 9 3900X
- 4
- Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i9 10850K
- PCIe 3.0
PCIe Lanes
- AMD Ryzen 9 3900X
- 20
- Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i9 10850K
- 16-20%
Launch MSRP
- AMD Ryzen 9 3900X
- $499
- Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i9 10850K
- $453
Retail Availability
- AMD Ryzen 9 3900X
- Retail
- Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i9 10850K
- Retail
Benchmarks
- 3D Rendering
Blender Cycles (CPU)
- AMD Ryzen 9 3900X
- 268Best
- Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i9 10850K
- 223-17%
Blender 4.5, Blender Open Data (CC0). Median of monster + junkshop + classroom, combined samples/min.
Renders a 3D scene using every core. Shows speed for 3D and rendering work, not gaming.
Which one should you pick?
Choose 3900X if you want the higher L2 cache (6 MB vs 2.5 MB), the higher L3 cache (64 MB vs 20 MB) and the higher memory channels (2 vs 2).
Choose 10850K if you already have it on hand or find it at a lower price.
Price comparison
| Retailer | AMD Ryzen 9 3900X | Intel 10th Gen Intel Core i9 10850K |
|---|---|---|
| Consumercarts listing | $499.00 View on Consumercarts listing | |
| Amazon | $453.00 View on Amazon | |
| Newegg | View on Newegg |
Disclaimer: The price and specification of the given product may differ from the actual product. Please confirm on the retailer's website before buying.